This horror/paranormal thriller follows the lives of Albert and Rose Poe over the course of 4 days that happens to include the one year anniversary of their 5 and 6-year-old daughters deaths. The day the girls died was their birthdays too. We soon learn there is more to the girls’ deaths and the house the Poe’s thought was their safe haven.

IMDb.com

Overview

The Terrible Two delivers creepy evil youngsters, the supernatural and psychological thriller elements. These deplorable set of events befall Albert and Rose Poe, a married couple after moving into their dream home. The nightmarish tale debuts March 6th, 2018 on Video On Demand platforms via Uncork’d Entertainment.

Impressions

I appreciated the atmospheric world the pivotal characters lived in. The haunted abode reverberates as a breathing entity and this is due to the outstanding cinematography performed by John C. Lehman. Director Billy Lewis includes tension by presenting a mix of wide and close angle shots to his visual narrative. For example, one sentimental performance involves the mother, Rose Poe portrayed by Actress Cari Moskow. Rose stands in the bedroom to her now departed daughters and offers to bake them a birthday cake.

Presenting a wide-angle view of this scene yields a compassionate link towards Rose. Lewis cements the sorrow in the scene that follows. Close-ups of Rose, her intensity, and her flour-flecked face is heartbreaking. The Terrible Two has energies in its inventive camera handling and atmospheric set design.

The central characters had satisfactory representation. Contrition, pain and fragile emotional context take precedence with the leads. With the supporting cast, viewers may notice the B-Movie acting quality held a minimum. Actor Reid Doyle as with Actress Cari Moskow delivered convincing appeal. Yet, Doyle felt comical in scenes that required otherwise. Examples outlining my observation are in the third and final ACT. Actresses Ariana Baron and Arielle Breslerman added the vital and standard creepy child factor many Horror enthusiasts are familiar with.

The weak point for The Terrible Two was the nuances of added CGI. These effects were few, secured for the random jump scare and/or visual enhancement. The image below explains the computer-generated effects I point out. CGI does not have considerable authority against Lewis’ production yet these scenes could have succeeded better without it. Practical effects would have arrested a continued sense of realism.

In the official press release, a comparison was issued to describe The Terrible Two and it reads as follows;

Pet Sematary meets What Lies Beneath in a Billy Lewis film.

I found this parallel to be unfounded. Lewis expresses a unique perception of grieving, death, and punishment. Viewers may find similarities between The Terrible Two with horror films released prior. In my conclusion, I encountered no significant visual or narrative cues that trespass on other Horror productions. The Terrible Two has individuality in its subject and delivery. While it may not work as a redefining production Lewis creates a solid addition to the field of psychological thrillers.

The plot was a well-formatted construct that synthesizes the supernatural with psychology. Yet, both categories had difficulties intertwining into a cohesive system. Unattentive viewers beware, it will be problematic to interpret which Horror theme belong to the principal entity. The Terrible Two is a film requiring undivided attention.

To absorb the many messages infused within, I advise on watching this film more than once. During my initial session, I discovered the supernatural aspect to be diverting and counteracting the topic on the deteriorating psychosis of mourning parents. Views may differ, the psychological subject could be the opposing narrative. Whatever the case, The Terrible Two includes an impressive character-driven narrative.

The scare factor brought into Lewis’ film is not that of a traditional Horror production. Gore and blood splatter were not part of the creative equation. In fact, The Terrible Two involves a distinct outlet that conjures frights of its own. Lewis expresses a serious psychological thriller with minor horror aspects.

In Conclusion

The Terrible Two is a favorable viewing experience. Observed are minimal flaws in the narrative and visual effects. Yet, these areas did not impede the production value. Doyle and Moskow deliver strong portraits as the protagonists but it is Baron and Breslerman that receive notoriety as the antagonistic youngsters.

Ken Artuz is Co-Owner of Meca Ex Studios LLC. Artuz is a New York City Based Photographer with proficiency in Photoshop. His digital artwork was featured in exhibitions SOHO, NYC, twice.
Artuz is a graduate of The Institute of Audio Research where he earned his degree in Audio Engineering and Record Production. He also earned certification in Television Production and Field Recording at Lehman College. For Horror Artuz Favors French Extremism and Indie productions. He is a novelist, and screenwriter listens to EBM, Industrial & Witch house and is an avid MMA sports fan.
Ken Artuz will create a media empire built on the DecayMag Brand.